Nigel Chalk

Director of the Western Hemisphere Department

 

Nigel is a UK and Irish national, having served as Deputy Director of WHD prior to becoming Department Director. During his time in WHD, he has overseen a range of surveillance and lending operations for key countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, and Suriname. During this period, he was the U.S. Mission Chief, leading twelve consecutive Article IV consultations under four different administrations. Prior to joining WHD, Nigel was a Managing Director and Head of Non-Japan Asia Research at Barclays Bank in Singapore, providing advice to clients and the bank’s own operations on macro, rates and FX strategy.

Nigel has also been a Deputy Director in the Asia and Pacific Department at the Fund, including the mission chief for China for several years, and earlier in his Fund career, Nigel worked on a diverse set of countries including Russia, Korea, the Philippines, and Brazil from the Middle East, Fiscal Affairs, Asia and Pacific and Western Hemisphere Departments. Nigel holds a B.A. from the University of Liverpool, an M.Sc. in Economics from the London School of Economics, and both a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Last updated: October 27, 2025